OTHER TOP 25 GAMES LIBERTY 58, WESTERN CAROLINA 14

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Malik Willis threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more scores, leading No. 22 Liberty over Western Carolina on Saturday.

Liberty won its 10th straight game and remained second behind Notre Dame for the nation’s longest active winning streak.

Playing their first game of the season, the Catamounts trailed 14-7 early in the second quarter. Liberty then scored four straight touchdowns in the next 14 minutes.

Willis completed 14 of 19 passes with touchdown strikes of 44, 40 and 83 yards. He scored on runs of 11 and 43 yards and rushed for 97 yards on eight carries.

MARSHALL 42, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 14

HUNTINGTON, W.VA. – Redshirt freshman Grant Wells threw a seasonhigh five touchdown passes and No. 16 Marshall commemorated the 50th anniversary of the worst disaster in U.S. sports history during a victory over Middle Tennessee on Saturday.

Marshall got another standout performance from its defense and turned three turnovers into scores on a day when the university and surrounding community remembered 75 people killed in a Nov. 14, 1970, plane crash.

Marshall wore special black uniforms

and the No. 75 on its helmets to honor those who were lost, which included most of the Thundering Herd football team. The crash occurred as the team’s plane was returning from a game at East Carolina. There were no survivors.

After several early overthrows, Wells found his groove and Marshall kept the momentum for good. Wells finished 25 of 37 for 336 yards, all season highs. Two of his TD passes each went to Corey Gammage and Willie Johnson.

LATE FRIDAY CINCINNATI 55, EAST CAROLINA 17

CINCINNATI – Desmond Ridder threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score to help No. 7 Cincinnati rout East Carolina on Friday night.

Cincinnati extended its school-record home winning streak to 19 games, the fourth-longest streak among FBS schools, and kept its hopes alive for a College Football Playoff berth.

Ridder has accounted for 17 touchdowns in the past four games, including nine rushing TDS.

In Cincinnati’s three-point victory over East Carolina last year, the Pirates scored 43 points and piled up 638 yards. The Bearcats were motivated to prevent a repeat.

The offense got off to a fast start with Ridder’s 33-yard touchdown pass to Michael Young to cap a 79-yard drive on their opening possession.

– Associated Press

KATIE STRATMAN/USA TODAY SPORTS Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder accounted for four total touchdowns in the Bearcats’ win on Friday night.